Never Lick the Spoon

Last time we heard about some of the positive aspects that wearable tech has been bringing to modern life, now we hear about its dubious side. From big tech trying to guess if you're happy or sad so they can sell you stuff, to healthcare apps that monitor much more than they should. One thing is for sure - by the end of the episode you’ll be checking every T&C on every app or piece of tech you have at home - if you don’t do so already!

In a two part special on wearable technology, we are joined by experts that look at this booming industry from completely different perspectives. In the first episode we look at wearable tech's exciting potential, including how mass consumer devices, that previously simply nagged you to walk more, are becoming more like sophisticated medical devices. And since heart rate data from Fitbits were able to predict infection outbreak, could this lead to a better understanding of disease transmission in the community?

We take a break from our usual molecular bread and butter and look at the recent American presidential election. After all, American presidents are made of molecules too, right? We begin our story back at the 2016 presidential election, where Russia (and others) tried to influence the outcome of the result by spreading misinformation through social media channels. But what happened in 2020? We find out! Blog on misinformation: http://wwwf.imperial.ac.uk/blog/the-forum/2020/11/02/misinformation-and-social-media-in-the-us-election-comparing-2016-and-2020/ [http://wwwf.imperial.ac.uk/blog/the-forum/2020/11/02/misinformation-and-social-media-in-the-us-election-comparing-2016-and-2020/]

It's our 13th episode! Far from being Triskaidekaphobes - that is of course the phobia of the number 13 - we’re lucky enough to have a returning guest who brings some much needed positivity on the Covid-19 vaccine search. We also hear how a chance fishing trip off of Seattle could provide scientists with the answer to just how many antibodies someone needs to fight the virus successfully - another piece of luck! Link to the #TeamHalo home page: https://teamhalo.org/ [https://teamhalo.org/] Anna Blakney's TikTok account: https://www.tiktok.com/@anna.blakney [https://www.tiktok.com/@anna.blakney]

Turning our attention away from Covid, we look at a different disease that has plagued humanity since the time of the ancient Egyptians - and still claims 280,000 lives every year. What’s all the more tragic, is it's curable by modern medicine. We hear from 2 researchers who are part of a multinational, multidiscipline team who are trying to finally eradicate it. WISER: Water Infrastructure for Schistosomiasis-Endemic Regions [https://www.imperial.ac.uk/a-z-research/wiser/]